Needham Market make it 2 away wins in five days with a deserved 2-0 victory away to Royston Town.
Kevin Horlock's side made 2 changes to Tuesday's 3-0 win at Stamford AFC as Tevan Allen & Keiran Morphew missed out through injury and were replaced by Callum Page & Dan Morphew.
The first half saw both sides enjoy good spells of possession, though the Marketmen arguably created the better chances throughout the game and were worthy of their 2-0 win.
It was the Suffolk side who had the first chance on 6 minutes as Reece Harris' 25-yard free-kick dipped over the wall but crashed wide off the outside of the near, right-hand, post.
At the other end, Royston however headed a left wing cross to the back post just wide of the top left-hand corner after 13 minutes.
In truth Needham goalkeeper Marcus Garnham was rarely troubled, with Dylan Williams picking up the loose ball outside the box before driving into space on the right-hand side, of the area, but for his fierce shot to be deflected behind for a corner on 23 minutes.
Royston meanwhile saw a low left wing cross in parried away well by the diving Garnham at his far post, although Joseph Boachie's shot in space was fired over just after the half-hour mark.
Needham though forced a good save out off Royston keeper Noah Phillips on 38 minutes, great play from Needham saw Callum Page fed into space outside the box before sliding a neat ball round the defender to release Jacob Lay through one-on-one on the left-hand side of the box, albeit his close range shot is smothered away well by the onrushing keeper, as both sides went into the break level.
Inside a minute of the restart, the Marketmen broke the deadlock in clinical fashion. Great play saw Jacob Lay drive through into space after latching onto a great through-ball onto the left-hand side of the box before cutting the ball back to Jamie McGrath to place home smartly into the bottom right-hand corner from 10-yards out, 1-0 Needham.
Samson Esan then fired a shot over from the right-hand edge of the box in the 50th minute, while the Crows saw a right wing free-kick find Bateman whose diving header, at a tight angle, went comfortably wide of the near post on 56 minutes.
Two minutes later, Luke Ingram broke into space on the right-hand edge of the box for Needham but dragged his shot just wide of the bottom far corner, before the Crows saw a low shot on the right-hand edge of the box hit comfortably straight at Garnham at his near post on 62 minutes.
Needham meanwhile doubled their lead on 69 minutes, Kyle Hammond lofted in a great left wing free-kick from distance into Luke Ingram leaping highest at the far post who picked out goalscorer Jamie McGrath who, netted his 2nd goal of the afternoon and 3rd in 2 games, spun his marker before slotting into the right-hand corner from point blank range, 2-0 Needham.
Needham kept the pressure on as Luke Ingram broke into space once more on the right-hand edge of the box, but fired his shot just wide of the bottom far corner on 75 minutes.
More great play from the Marketmen saw the Marketmen create a good chance on 84 minutes, Tommy Smith started the move by smartly intercepting possession feeding Luke Ingram through down the right wing, the winger in turn rounded the defender to break into the the box but saw his cutback slammed benind for a corner.
Similarly to the second goal, Kyle Hammond lofted a smart free-kick from around the same position to Luke Ingram at the far post, but this time the winger glanced his header over the crossbar after 87 minutes.
Royston meanwhile did draw a comfortable save out of Garnham on 89 minutes, neat passing saw a right wing low cross pick out Thomas Newman in space, whose first time shot was hit low and straight at the Needham shot-stopper.
Royston then saw Alfie Williams' shot well blocked by Jamie McGrath on 90+6 minutes, while Josh Coldicott-Stevens fired over from just outside the box with the final touch a minute later.
Needham remain 2nd in the table ahead of a trip to Thurlow Nunn Premier Division side Long Melford in the Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup Second Round on Wednesday (7:45pm), prior to consecutive home league games starting on Saturday 4th November.
